Nitric oxide can be used therapeutically in a number of ways. At high concentrations, nitric oxide is cytotoxic and may be used to reduce the numbers of undesirable cells, such as cancer cells, bacterial cells and cells present in atherosclerotic lesions. At lower concentrations, nitric oxide may promote the health of certain cells and tissue.
Compounds that contain S-nitroso groups, O-nitroso-groups, and N-nitroso groups are all known to release nitric oxide.
O-nitroso compounds are compounds having one or more —O—NO groups, and are also referred to as O-nitrosylated compounds and nitrite compounds.
S-nitroso compounds are compounds with one or more —S—NO groups and are also referred to as nitrosothiols and S-nitrosylated compounds. An —S—NO group is also referred to in the art as a sulfonyl nitrite, a thionitrous acid ester, an S-nitrosothiol or a thionitrite.
Compounds having an ═N—NO group are referred to herein as N-nitroso compounds. Common examples are compounds having —N—N2O2− groups (see structure below), which are known in the art as nonoate compounds, and more specifically as N-nonoate compounds.
Examples of the above three classes of compounds can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,583,101 and 5,814,666, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,669 and WO 00/49993, which are herein incorporated by reference, describe nitrosated and nitrosylated steroids. Further information can be found within these documents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,089 (the '089 patent), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses among other things nitroxide-labeled macromolecules, including hemoglobin, albumin, immunoglobulins and liposomes. See, e.g., Abstract and Col. 1, lines 13 et seq. For further information, see the disclosure of the '089 patent (see, also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,824,781 and 5,741,893).